6 Reasons Why Self Storage Is Important

22 June, 2022

Self-storage – it’s a great invention. Instead of trying to cram all of your possessions into your home or business, you can outsource the responsibility to someone else. For decluttering purposes, nothing else compares.

Don’t just take our word for it, though. Look at the statistics. According to the Federation of European Self Storage Associations, occupancy rates for lettable space are 82.3% this year, up from 76.2 percent last year. 

But what’s driving this demand? You’re about to find out. In this post, we take a look at why self-storage is so important to so many people. 

It Helps Combat The Stress Of Moving

Moving home can be an exceptionally stressful time. Regardless of where you’re moving to, there’s an enormous amount of pressure on you to get everything done in a short space of time. 

Self-storage, though, helps to take some of the pressure off. Instead of having to move everything in one go, you can syphon off some items and store them in your unit, ready to move at a time of your choosing. 

According to official statistics, 29 percent of self-storage customers are involved in moving houses. Reasons include downsizing, working between jobs, and consolidating homes with parents or other family members. Storage also comes in handy when the closing date on property gets pushed back. 

It Helps Keep Inventory Organised

While businesses are typically very good at keeping track of their inventory needs, they sometimes get it wrong. Occasionally, they may order too much stock, forcing them to look for alternative storage. 

Again, self-storage can help. Businesses can rent out units when demand peaks and then stop as soon as it falls back to regular levels again. 

Companies can also rent out self storage units to keep track of their inventory at low cost. Managers no longer have to store items in their domestic properties, something that can get seriously annoying after a while.

Businesses that benefit from self storage units include sales professionals, retail store owners, and antique dealers. Carpenters and contractors often use them as well for storing building supplies. 

It Lets You Store A Loved One’s Belongings

If someone you love passes away, just dumping all their possessions in a skip and being done with it seems a little callous. Their possessions were an intimate part of their life, so you want to honour that. Furthermore, going through all their belongings and agreeing what to do with them can take a long time, delaying the sale of the property. 

Again, self-storage can help. People use it to give themselves emotional breathing space. For instance, after a person you love dies, you might not want to rifle through all their possessions, doling them out to all the beneficiaries. Instead, you want to give yourself time so that you can process your emotions. According to statistics, a death in the family is the most common reason people consider using self-storage. 

It Lets You Organise Your Home For A Renovation

According to the Federation of European Self Storage Associations, people renovating their homes are three times more likely to use self-storage than the general public. And it’s not hard to see why. Self-storage lets homeowners empty entire rooms, preparing them for renovation work. 

It Keeps Vehicles Safe While Not In Use

When self-storage brands tell you that you can store all your belongings in their units, they mean it. Alongside tables, chairs, clothes, and books you can keep motorcycles, cars, RVs and even boats. 

But why would you want to do this? The answer is simple: self-storage protects vehicles from the elements while they are not in use. 

What’s more, you usually get a range of storage options, designed to suit your vehicle’s needs. Both covered parking spaces and climate controlled indoor storage units are available from quality brands.

It Frees Up Space At Home

While many people bite the bullet and throw out things they no longer use, it always feels like a bit of a compromise. They know that they should free up space in their homes, but doing so requires discarding perfectly serviceable items. Getting rid of items with sentimental value can be even more painful.

If the idea of letting items go forever for the sake of decluttering seems a little extreme to you, then self-storage could be the answer. You simply rent the extra space that you need for your items until you find a permanent home for them. Problem solved.

It Makes It Easy To Empty A Dorm Room

Emptying your child’s dorm room in the summer, carting all their possessions across the country, and then taking them all back the following year is a massive effort. By the end of the process, you feel exhausted. 

With self-storage, though, all this running around becomes unnecessary. All you need to do is rent a unit near your child’s campus, lock up all their possessions for the summer, and then transport them to their new dorm for the following academic year. It’s that simple!

It Helps When Going Through A Relationship Breakup

When relationships break down, the need for self-storage goes up. The partner who leaves home usually has a lot of possessions. But if they are crashing on their friends’ couch, they might not have anywhere to keep them. 

Again, self-storage can help. According to statistics, divorced or separated people are more than twice as likely to use self-storage as those who are married. It’s a convenient way for them to store their possessions until they need them. 

It Helps With Home-Staging

Lastly, self-storage helps to make your home more presentable before a sale. Instead of leaving rooms cluttered with possessions, you can syphon off all the non-essentials to your unit. Then, once you’ve sold, you simply transport stored possessions to your new property at your leisure. 

Conclusion

Self-storage is important for numerous reasons – many of which only become obvious when you find yourself in specific situations. In all cases, though, it is your friend. It transforms would-be stressful situations into calmer ones.